Chairman's Brief

It Has Always Been about the TEAM!

By RADM Dan "Dano" Fillion, USN (Ret.)

Symposium is in the “FINEX” Binder under the category of “HUGE SUCCESS!” It was the result of a total team effort by all the folks who the National President, CAPT “Smokey” Butts, USN and NHA Executive Director, CAPT Jim "Super G” Gillcrist, already called out. I also want to say thanks for making this event a Huge Team Win! NHA’s success always falls on the shoulders of the totally committed JOs and Aircrewmen who volunteer to make it all happen, and without Industry Partners, it would not happen. My personal expression of gratitude is to each of you! Smokey, you made a DIFFERENCE Brother, thank you!!

New PRT rules mandate that testing will be once a year and I know personally from time in uniform that there are not enough mental health professionals to meet the demand signals of our Active Duty and their families. Since retiring, I have seen the same for the retired and civilian population. So I think that the situation is what it is and we (Active/Retired/DOD Civilians) have to ……..wait for it…. "Embrace the Suck.” Okay, I know several of you (if any of you even read the Chairman’s Corner) are waving the BS flag but hear me out.

The way the Rotary Force needs to get after this is by "Engaging." Prime example, bright and early FOD walk down underway in a “lousy zipcode.” When you get in line you are not supposed to talk but I would always say good morning and just ask, “How is everyone doing?" to the Sailors and Marines on either side of me. I usually got an, “Outstanding, Great, Shitake Hot, etc,” which would always be followed by, “CAPT, can you please lock it up!” FOD walkdown would commence. Sidenote, none of the Chiefs ever asked me to not talk while forming up for FOD walk down. Apparently it was a right of passage to tell me to "Shut up!”

One morning, I saddle up between the team and one Sailor who I knew personally and did not respond like I expected. You all know the type: that young, hard-charging professional who is a Motivation Bomb, always upbeat and believes that professionalism is measured by how loud you respond to any question! So I don’t intrude at that point in time but I pull a Chief aside (yes, the one who told me to shut up that morning) and asked if she could look into it, her response, "on it CAPT!”

So the young man had a family back in Norfolk, wife, and one child. The family vehicle was in need of repair and it was expensive and the Sailor at sea would have to wipe out his savings to fix it. End of the story as you have all surmised, Chiefs' Mess solved it.

I share that scenario to say this: all of you and all of us out of uniform to a lesser extent have to be one man/one woman resiliency counselors. No formal training required, you just must pay attention to your shipmates and just ask folks, “How are you doing, you seem a little down, is everything all right?" Then, be willing to listen and here is the big lift, you have to be willing to ask for help if you personally need it and nobody has asked you if you are doing OK. There is no longer a penalty for seeking help; it clearly indicates that an individual is keeping check on themselves to be the best warfighter they can be. Lastly, I offer that the same approach can be utilized with respect to the new PRT Program, never work out alone or always bring, drag if necessary, a buddy to the gym.

The ability for the Rotary Force to remain vigilant when it comes to being resilient has never been required more than now, as those of you in uniform and your families look to the near future and prepare for what lies ahead.

Your NHA stands ready to assist in any way we can from back on the beach. We will be asking can we help and please do not hesitate to ask us to help. It has always been about the TEAM!

The Winner says, “Let me do it for you." The Loser says, “That’s not my job.”

Vince Lombardi, Hall of Fame NFL Head Coach

As always I am,

Vr and Committed Not Just Involved (CNJI)

Dano